Controversy over Facebook comment alleging juror misconduct in Trump trial

Jun 10

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

The recent conclusion of former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York has not quelled the surrounding controversy. The latest stir involves a Facebook comment claiming that a juror’s cousin had prior knowledge of Trump’s guilty verdict. Now, that comment’s credibility is in question after the Facebook user who allegedly penned the comment claims it was all a joke.

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The controversy began with a letter from Judge Juan Merchan, acknowledging a contentious comment posted on the Unified Court System’s public Facebook page.

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“My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted,” the comment, made by a user identified as Michael Anderson, said. “Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!”

Merchan’s letter, dated Friday, June 7, confirmed the existence of the comment but did not verify its content. The comment, reportedly a week old, appeared before the jury’s conviction of Trump and has since been deleted.

While Anderson claimed to be related to a juror, he later described the comment as a joke designed to provoke a strong reaction with minimal effort. This response, shared widely on social media, urged people to “take it easy.”

The reaction to the comment was swift and significant. Several Republicans, including Trump, called for a mistrial based on the potential juror misconduct implied by the comment. However, legal analysts have suggested that there is a “relatively small chance” that the comment reflects any true inside information.

Court officials told The Washington Post that they have a duty to inform all parties of such online content, regardless of its credibility. This protocol aims to ensure transparency and maintain the integrity of the judicial process.

Tags: Donald Trump, Facebook, Juan Merchan, Social Media, Trump investigations

[KARAH RUCKER]

WHILE THE NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL OF DONALD TRUMP IS OVER –

THE CONTROVERSY ISN’T.

THE LATEST REVOLVES AROUND A FACEBOOK USER WHO CLAIMED TO BE THE COUSIN OF A JUROR WHO HAD ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE OF TRUMP’S GUILTY VERDICT.

IS HE ACTUALLY THE COUSIN OF A JUROR?

OR AN INTERNET TROLL?

IS IT A SERIOUS IMPLICATION THAT COULD RESULT IN A MISTRIAL?

OR WAS IT ALL JUST A BAD JOKE AND NOT EVEN REAL?

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW.

IT’S THIS LETTER FROM JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN THAT SPARKED THE LATEST BUZZ.

IN IT –

THE JUDGE ACKNOWLEDGES THE AUTHENTICITY OF A CONTROVERSIAL FACEBOOK COMMENT.

THE LETTER IS FROM FRIDAY AND READS

“TODAY THE COURT BECAME AWARE OF A COMMENT THAT WAS POSTED ON THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM’S PUBLIC FACEBOOK PAGE AND WHICH I NOW BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.”

THIS IS A SCREENSHOT SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAID TO BE THE ORIGINAL COMMENT – WHICH MATCHES VERBATIM THE COMMENT IN THE JUDGE’S LETTER.

THE USER – IDENTIFIED AS “MICHAEL ANDERSON” – STATES:

MY COUSIN IS A JUROR AND SAYS TRUMP IS GETTING CONVICTED. THANK YOU FOLKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!!!”

THE JUDGE SAYS THE COMMENT WAS A WEEK OLD –

WHICH MEANS IT CAME **BEFORE THE JURY CONVICTED TRUMP.

THE COMMENT HAS SINCE BEEN DELETED.

WHILE THE LETTER FROM THE JUDGE CONFIRMS THE COMMENT EXISTED –

IT DOES **NOT CONFIRM THE CONTENT OF THE COMMENT.

WHILE THE PERSON WHO POSTED IT CLAIMED TO BE RELATED TO A JUROR –

ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE REPORTS – THE SAME PERSON LATER POSTED IT WAS ALL A JOKE.

THIS SCREENSHOT IS SAID TO BE MICHAEL ANDERSON’S RESPONSE TO THE UPROAR.

TELLING PEOPLE TO “TAKE IT EASY.”